Our Aircraft Fleet - Saab 340, Embraer Bandeirante, Cessna 172

A little bit of history...

Rarotonga International Airport with its 2300 metre concrete runway opened for international jet operations in November 1973.

Immediately after World War 2 travel to the Cook Islands was by NAC and RNZAF DC3 that plodded along at a sedate 150 knots via Fiji and Samoa. Then in the 1950s and early 60s the DC3 service gave way to TEAL Shorts Solent flying boats that operated the renown Coral Route connecting Fiji, Samoa, Aitutaki and Tahiti with a weekly service.

From 1963 to 1973 Hawker Siddley 748 turbo-props of Air Pacific and Polynesian Airlines flew the route from Samoa to Rarotonga returning via Aitutaki once each week. The arrival of Air New Zealand’s McDonnell Douglas DC8 jets in 1973 heralded the beginning of the tourism industry for the Cook Islands growing from a few hundred annual arrivals to more than 120,000 visitors in 2012. Air Rarotonga was founded in 1978 with a twin engined 5 passenger Cessna 337 operating non-scheduled services and charter mainly around the Southern islands, with the occasional flight to distant Tongareva-Penrhyn.

Today's Fleet

Piston engined aircraft gave way to the first turbo-props when the company introduced the 15 passenger Embraer Bandeirante in 1989 adding two more of the type in subsequent years. Increasing demand on the Aitutaki route saw the introduction of the modern 34 passenger Saab 340 Regional Airliner in 2000.

Fleet Information

Saab 340 - the 34 passenger regional airliner joined the fleet in 2000 and this aircraft now provides the core scheduled service between Rarotonga and Aitutaki up to five frequencies per day.

Length

19.73 m

Wing Span

21.44 m

Height

6.97 m

Crew

2 pilots, 1 flight attendant

Capacity

34 passengers

Propulsion

2 x General Electric CT7-9B, 1730 shp each

Crusing Speed

250 knots, 463 km/h

Cruising Altitude

Maximum 25,000 feet, 7.600 m

Range

935 nm, 1735 km

Embraer EMB110P1 'Bandeirante' - provides excellent scheduled passenger service and charter to the smaller islands of the group being an ideal size, with a large cargo door, and proven reliability on short unpaved coral runways.

Length

15.10 m

Wing Span

15.40 m

Height

4.90 m

Crew

2 pilots

Capacity

15 passengers

Propulsion

2 x Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34,

750 shp each

Crusing Speed

195 knots, 360 km/h

Cruising Altitude

10,000 feet, 3.050 m

Range

1060 nm, 1964 km

Cessna 172 'Skyhawk' - this aircraft is used for pilot training and scenic flights. Its high wing design and the large windows make this an ideal aircraft for flightseeing and aerial photography.